Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1887-01-14
MAIDS OF MUSCLE.
HOW BELLIES SEEK THE DEVELOP
MeNT THAT BRINGS ROSY CHEEKS.

The Growth Of Fencing In Popularity
Among Society Ladies-A Frank Con
fession from II Fair AthIetc-An Old
Fashioned Exercise.
The frail, tired young thing with flabby
muscles, a drug store complexion, and
tendency TO do the clinging vine act, went
out of fashion some time ago with a dull,
sickening thud, TO use venerable and
chestnutesque expression. The typical
American beauty no longer looks as
though her food didn't agree with her. She
is as robust and husky as a milkmaid, al
though she still retains her clear cut beauty
of features and slender hands and feet. The
reason for this perfect development among
ladies of the ieisure class may be largely
traced to private gyIsnasiums in the city
where nearly every form VI athletic culture
is taught. Many of the wealthy homes in
Chicago have their private gymnasium
where the daughters of the house may pre-
serve health gain muscle, and have jolly
good time all at once. The effect Of this
sort of training may he seen at once.
Il can tell by a lady's attitude alone,
whether she is nn adept at gymnasium work
or calisthenics, " said an observing gentle
man VINO II an tnluuslsLSI OI llit subttSt.
When YOU see a lady stand on both feet,
with her shoulders back and her head erect,
you may be sure she has acquired it by
what, if it were not so interesting, would be
called hard work; and it is worth years ad-
ded to her life, to say nothing Of the banlsh-
ment of headaches and all those ills which
come from inactivity and acquired indo-
Ience. 1t is natural for woman TO lean
against some object-a chair, a piano, or
even a man if nothing else is handy. Gen
erations Of tight lacing and had shoes have
left their mark in this tendency. I don't
know how else to account for it. "
FRANK CONFESSION
= A young lady, pupil in the athletic class
at the conservatory, in speaking OF the OBJ
jeCt of her entering for a course, frankly
confessed that her reason for IL was to at
tain perfect physical development rather
than TO become an expert in fencing, foi
that was the means used. You know,
she continued, "a society lady must have
good figure and must know how TO use il
Ny physician told me that dancing was not
enough, and not the right kind of ererclSr
to accomplish what | want and so | took to
the foils -
Many mothers prefer to train their daugh
ters at home and one lady living on Michi-
gan avenue has her two daughters don their
last summers bathing suits and 20 through
a series Of calcSthenics, such as the lady her
self learned at private seminary in her
youth. Each girl takes a corner in the room,
her face turned toward il, her heels placed
toget her and her hands fiat ON either side.
Then as the mother counts they bend for
ward the shoulders going beyond the hands,
which are kept firm and hracing them back
ward The feet are not moved. After thls
swaying motion has been kept up for two or
three MINUTES the daughters are allowed to
rest.
The next exercise, which is an old fashioned
one is carrying n pail of water on the head
and performing simple evOlutions without
allowing any to spill. This gives a graceful
poise to the head and shoulders, which is
noticeable in the lower class of Italian
women who bear extremely heavy burdens
in this manner. These simple exercises and
scores of similar ones are within the reach
of any one who cares to cultivate their phy
sique without recourse 10 training schools o.
private tut Drs--Iuter Ocean.